For those of us in love with reading, we have long associated hours of pleasure with the smell of paper. Our sense of smell, being hugely involved in the creation of memories, will lull us into that sense of pleasure from the moment we pick up a paperback, before we’ve even read a word. In fact, one of the biggest problems the die-hard ink-and-paper set have with eBooks is that familiar smell.
But books are changing. EReaders mean you no longer have to curl up with a computer to read a digital book. You can now curl up in your favorite reading spot with a lightweight “book” that has serious advantages over the old paperbacks. No more fighting the binding to try to see those words in the middle, hiding in shadow. No more squinting at tiny print; you can set it to your own comfort level. No more toting a shelf full of books on vacation — your eReader can handle them all.
And yet, despite all those reasons and more, you miss the smell, don’t you? I mean, eReaders don’t smell like much of anything, do they?
Here’s my suggestion: Force your brain to accept a new scent association when you read. It will take some time to build the connection, but you can customize it to your own unique preferences. I like to light scented candles. Maybe you could use an air freshener, or a mint, or some fresh flowers.
Or maybe, just maybe, someone could develop a perfume that smells like books. Then we could all dab it on the side of the eReader, and luxuriate in the familiar aroma of stories.
Don’t forget Touch of Fate is FREE until March 10, 2012!
